Panthers fall to Fitchburg State

Feb 15, 2003

WATERVILLE VALLEY, N.H. - Senior Dan Goulet
(Blackstone, Mass.) scored two goals and assisted on another
Saturday evening, leading Fitchburg State College to a 5-2 victory
over Plymouth State College in ECAC Northeast Conference ice hockey
action at Waterville Valley Ice Arena.

It was a 1-1 hockey game late in the second period, but the
Falcons tallied a pair of power play goals in the last four minutes
of the period, including one at 19:33, to take a two-goal lead in
the third. Fitchburg State added a pair of third-period scores to
go up 5-1, and held off PSC the rest of the way.

The Falcons defeated the Panthers for the eighth straight time,
dating back to the 1997-98 season. PSC is 1-13-1 against Fitchburg
since 1994.

The victory keeps Fitchburg State within striking distance of
the Northeast Conference leaders, improving the Falcons to 13-7-2
overall and 10-3-1 in league play. PSC saw its play-off hopes grow
dimmer, falling to 5-11-3 overall and 3-8-2 in the Northeast.

Goulet and PSC freshman Dennis Kane (Westford,
Mass.) exchanged goals in the first period, the 13th of the season
for each skater. Senior Chris McNeil (Danvers, Mass.) and sophomore
Chad Fletcher (Whitinsville, Mass.) notched the PPGs for FSC late
in the second period, and Goulet and sophomore Robert Zapf
(Woodbridge, Va.) added third-period goals for the Falcons. Goulet
also assisted on FSC's final goal.

Junior Matt Toutain (Lewiston, Maine) rounded
out the scoring with five minutes remaining with his third goal in
two games for PSC, but it was too little, too late. Freshman
Matt Gotts (Danvers, Mass.) assisted on both PSC
goals.

Falcon senior captain Jason Holt (Fitchburg, Mass.) stopped 25
shots to pick up the victory in goal. PSC freshman Kyle
VanDingstee (Skaneateles, N.Y.) made 24 saves on 29 shots
before giving way to classmate Chris Hyson
(Colchester, Conn.), who stopped all five shots he faced in the
final 10 minutes.

PSC concludes a four-game homestand Sunday with an important
conference contest against Salve Regina (7 p.m.), a make-up from
the game that was postponed on Nov. 17. Fitchburg State plays again
Thursday at Suffolk.